Mobile Escape Games Pricing – Strategies and Cost Recovery

Think it through:

• 15-minute game, 5 minutes to reset and prepare next group.
• That’s 20 minutes each game rotation meaning 3 games an hour.
• 4 players each game at $5 a head.
• That’s (4×5)x3 = $60/hour
• Say you spend $100 on design, $200 on supplies, and $50 for the site/location where you are running the game
• $350/60 = 5.8 ~ 6 hours. So you need to run the game for 6 hours to cover your basic costs.
• Go to a farmer’s market, or an all-day event (8 hours) and you’ll even make yourself some profit!
• Plus now you can take that game to another event, and it’s all profit from there!

 

 

 

 

 

 

This obviously doesn’t consider many factors:

• Staffing cost – because who pays themselves?
  • But you should definitely have 2 people working said event.
• Transport – how far away is the event? Should you consider mileage costs?
• Do you have a tent?
• How do you draw them in? How do you get them back to your facility?
• Low-balling these costs? For me, no they’re pretty accurate – but they may not be for you! If you’re planning on setting up at a Comic Con style event, you may be looking at a few hundred dollars+ for your 10×10 space.

Other things you could do?

• $10 a head, but $5 off if you book at your facility
• $5/10 for 2 players, with a 2-player game
• Play for a donation – if it’s a charity focused event. No profit made but it’s for charity so suck it up.
• Instead of a full game, have some puzzle boxes set up and players can play for $1 or $2. In Canada we call that a Loonie or a Toonie.
• Have the event pay you! Charge a flat fee for being at an event, and then players play for free.
  • This is a post all on its own
  • How do you price it?
  • Who provides what?
  • Custom or standard game?
  • What types of events?

Aaaanywho. Just thought I’d throw these thoughts down on a Friday afternoon. Hopefully, you’re moving into a game-booked weekend at your escape facility!